Health Promotion and Non-Communicable Disease in the Philippines: Current Status and Priority Policy Interventions and Actions
September 18, 2012Youth smokers at risk for early death
October 2, 2012
“For tobacco companies to even offer us donations is insulting.”
These were the words of Lynn Pinugu, institutional development director of Mano Amiga Pilipinas, a non-profit school providing underprivileged children access to fourteen years of quality education. She, along with over 50 other NGOs declared the same sentiment in an NGO Manifesto Against Tobacco Industry Interference launched by public health NGO HealthJustice Philippines. Through the Manifesto, participating groups commit to refuse association with cigarette companies, more so receive any form of resource.
The Manifesto was formally launched through a series of talks by key speakers from different sectors, who illustrated how to further their commitment to tobacco-free progress in the course of their work.
From the perspective of a social enterprise, Human Nature’s Anna Meloto-Wilk spoke about the value of being Pro-Philippines, Pro-Poor, and Pro-Environment. In arguing for a tobacco-free Philippines, she underscored the importance of not compromising on one’s core values in order to achieve success, and that included avoiding tobacco industry partnerships.
Environmentalist Anna Oposa of Save Philippine Seas shared how the Philippines is the seat of both bio-diversity and adversity, noting that cigarettes were the biggest pollutants of our waters, poisoning our marine life.
Rob Crisostomo, co-owner of lifestyle store Ritual talked about sustainable business models, stressing that all aspects of business be made environmentally and socially-sound. He also highlighted the value of investing in Filipino products and crops, positing that cacao might make a suitable alternative to tobacco farming.
To emphasize the necessity of protecting public health policies against tobacco industry influence, HealthJustice’s Project Manager Evita Ricafort illustrated how tobacco companies mislead through so-called corporate social responsibility activities. This opinion is mirrored in the internationally-recognized Jakarta Declaration, which provides that “CSR activities by the tobacco industry should be prohibited because tobacco is a hazardous product that kills half its regular users prematurely.”
“We live in a world where Goliaths are taken down every day,” said HealthJustice’s Senior Legal Adviser Ipat Luna, in encouraging more groups to staunchly defend their causes from tobacco industry interference. “This manifesto exemplifies how cause-driven movements can stand up against behemoths like the tobacco industry and say ‘No thanks, we don’t want your dirty and bloody money,” she added. In closing, she looked forward to all the possibilities that this event could bring, saying the day when the Philippines will be tobacco-free is not far off.
